The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Thomas Platter's description of Sir Walter Cope's museum and other English
collections
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General Editor
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Thomas Platter's Travels in
England 1599: Rendered into English from the German, and with introductory
matter, translated and edited by Clare
WilliamsLondonJonathan
Cape1937
170
Sir Walter Cope's collection
In the ale-houses tobacco or a species of wound-wort are also obtainable for
one’s money, and the powder is lit in a small pipe, the smoke sucked into the
mouth, and the saliva is allowed to run freely, after which a good draught of
Spanish wine follows. This they regard
as a curious medicine for defluctions, and as a pleasure, and the habit is so
common with them, that they always carry the instruments on them, and light up
on all 171occasions, at the play, in the taverns or elsewhere,
drinking as well as smoking together, as we sit over wine, and it makes them
riotous and merry, and rather drowsy, just as if they were drunk, though the
effect soon passes - and they use it so abundantly because of the pleasure it
gives, that their preachers cry out on them for their self-destruction, and I am
told the inside of one man’s veins after death was found to be covered in soot
just like a chimney. The herb is imported from the
Indies in great quantities, and some types are much stronger than
others, which difference one can immediately taste; they perform queer antics
when they take it. And they first learned of this medicine from the Indians, as
Mr. Cope a citizen of London who has spent much time in the Indies, informed me; I visited his
collection with Herr
Lobelus
Lobelius
, a London physician, and
saw the following objects.
This same Mr. Cope inhabits a fine house in
the SnecgasUnidentified. Snow or Snor Hill?; he led us into an
apartment, stuffed with queer foreign objects in every corner, and amongst other
things I saw there, the following seemed of interest.
1. An African
charm made of teeth.
2. Many weapons,
arrows and other things made of fishbone.
3. Beautiful Indian
plumes,
ornaments
and clothes from China.
4. A handsome cap made out of goosefoots from China.
5. A curious Javanese
costume.
6. A felt cloak from Arabia.
7. Shoes from many strange lands.
8. An Indian stone axe, like a
thunder-bolt.
172
9. Beautiful coats from Arabia.
10. A string instrument with but one string.
11. Another string instrument from Arabia.
12. The horn and tail of a rhinoceros, is a large animal
like an elephant.
13. A fan made out of a single leaf.
14. Curious wooden
and stone swords.
15. The twisted horn of a bull seal.
16. A round horn which had grown on an English woman’s forehead.
17. An embalmed child (Mumia).
18. Leathern weapons.
19. The bauble and bells of Henry VIII’s fool.
20. A unicorn’s tail.
21. Inscribed paper made of bark.
22. Indian stone shears.
23. A thunder-bolt dug out of a mast which was hit at sea during a
storm; resembles the Judas
stone.
24. A stone against spleen disorders.
25. Artful little Chinese
box.
26. Earthen pitchers from China.
27. Flying rhinoceros.
28. (Caterpillar) Hairy
worm, sidopendra.
29. Flies which glow at night in Virginia instead of lights, since
there is often no day there for over a month.
30. A small bone implement used in India for scratching oneself.
31. The Queen of England’s seal.
32. Turkish Emperor’s golden seal.
33. Porcelain from China.
34. Falcon’s head made of fine feathers.
35. Many holy relics from a Spanish ship which he helped to capture.
173
36. A Madonna made of Indian
feathers.
37. A Turkish
pitcher and dishes.
38. An Indian
chain made of monkey teeth.
39. A sea-halcyon’s nest, sign of a calm sea.
40. A pelican’s beak, the Egyptian bird that kills its young, and afterward tears open
its breast and bathes them in its own blood, until they have come to
life.
41. A mirror which both reflects and multiplies
objects.
42. Crowns made of claws (ungulis).
43. Heathen idols.
44. Saddles from many strange lands; they were
placed round the top on stands.
45. Two beautifully
dyed Indian
sheepskins with silken sheen.
46. Remora.
A little fish which holds up or hinders boats from sailing when it
touches them,
likewise another species
called ‘torpedo’ which petrifies and numbs
the crews’ hands if it so much as touches the
oars.
47. A sea mouse (mus
marinus).
48. Numerous bone
instruments.
49. Reed pipes like those played by Pan.
50. A long narrow Indian
canoe,
with the oars
and sliding planks, hung from the ceiling of
this room.
He possessed besides many old heathen coins,
fine pictures, all kinds of corals and sea-plants in abundance. There are also other people in
London interested in curios, but this
gentleman is superior to them all for strange objects, because of the Indian voyage he carried out with such zeal.
In one house on the Thames bridge I also
beheld a large live
camel.
174
This city of London is not only brimful of
curiosities, but so populous also that one simply cannot walk along the streets
for the crowd.
199
Hampton
Court
Hampton Court is the finest and most
magnificent royal edifice to be found in England, or for that matter in other countries, and comprises
without the park (which has a wall round of one and a half miles in length, is
full of game and has a lodge in its midst from which the queen can watch the
chase) ten different large courts, and the same number of separate royal or
princely dwellings, all adjoining one another however. And the entire
construction is built of brick.
The first large forecourt is covered with lawn. In the second court is a beautiful clock, cleverly devised from which one can tell the time by the
sun, and also observe the movements of the moon.
The third court contains a fine large fountain of great height, artistically wrought of white marble,
with an excellent water work with which one may easily spray any ladies or
others standing round, and wet them well. And since the queen recently progressed from Hampton Court to Nonsuch with some three hundred carts of bag and baggage
as is her custom, the tapestries and all the other ornaments still hung in the apartments, for the latter, as
will be noted shortly, contain such elegant tapestry of good gold, silver and pure
silk that the like is nowhere to be found in such quantity in one
place.
First we were shown through the aforesaid courts into a large and very long
gallery hung all round with old woven tapestries. This led us to the
dining or banqueting hall, from where we entered the church or chapel containing
a most excellent fine organ on which I played a while, then we
inspected the gallery or loft, from which the queen listens to the sermon.
200
There all over the ceiling were painted these three signs: a portcullis just as
is stamped on the half-pennies, a lily (fleur de lis), and a rose, always
encircled with these two mottoes: Dieu et mon droit, 'God and my right'; and
Dominus mihi adiutor: Being, 'The Lord is my help and succour'.
On descent and exit from the church the gardener presented himself, and after we
had offered a gratuity to our first guide, the gardener conducted us into the
royal pleasaunce.
By the entrance I noticed numerous patches where square cavities had been
scooped, as for paving stones; some of these were filled with red brick-dust,
some with white sand, and some with green lawn, very much resembling a
chess-board. The hedges and surrounds were of hawthorn, bush firs, ivy, roses,
juniper, holly, English or common elm, box and other shrubs, very gay and
attractive.
There were all manner of shapes, men and women, half men and half horse, sirens,
serving-maids with baskets, French lilies and delicate crenellations all round
made from the dry twigs bound together and the aforesaid evergreen quick-set
shrubs, or entirely of rosemary, all true to the life, and so cleverly and
amusingly interwoven, mingled and grown together, trimmed and arranged
picture-wise that their equal would be difficult to find.
And just as there is a park on the one hand, so opposite this in the middle of
the other side there is a maze, similarly decorated with plants and flowering
trees, and two marble fountains, so that time shall not drag in such a place;
for should one miss one's way, not only are taste, vision and smell delighted,
but the gladsome201 birdsongs and plashing fountains please the ear,
indeed it is like an earthly paradise.
After leaving this extensive and pleasant garden, and presenting our gratuity to
the gardener, the governor of the royal palace, one of the nobility, to whom we
had previously sent in our letter of introduction, received us, and after he had
returned our letter he presented us to his wife and daughters, who were to take
us over all the inner royal apartments and cabinets, and show us all the
treasures then in the place, and whatever the woman and daughters pointed out
was all told us in French by an interpreter who was with us. The first room they
showed us into contained the lively
and lifelike portrait of the wild man and woman
captured by Martin Frobisher, the
English captain, on his voyage to the
new world, and brought back to
England alive. The man’s face was
much waled, and both looked like savages, wore skins, and the woman carried
a child in Indian dress in a linen cloth
upon her shoulder. Above the woman were the words: "Ginoct Nutioc."
Then we saw a picture of love, in the guise of a woman. Across her brow was
written: 'Procul et prope', that is 'far and near', and over her heart I
read: 'Mors et vita', that is 'Death and life'; by her feet, 'Hyems et
aestas', that is 'Winter and Summer', and underneath, 'Veri amoris
repraesentatio', that is 'The image of true love'.
Close to it they showed us the whole
evangelical scripture, very artfully cut or carved on numerous square plaques of mother of pearl, a very exquisite work,
and the plaques are for the most part attached to a large table.
202
We then entered a room containing
many fine royal beds, also numerous canopies and royal chairs all very lavish and ornate;
and the walls everywhere were
hung with extremely costly tapestries worked in
gold, silver and silk, so life-like that one might take the people and
plants for real.
We soon came to the king's quarters and saw the royal bed, of red satin set and embroidered with gold, which he had with
him at the siege of Boulogne, is
likewise very luxurious.
In another room we were shown a bed where the queen's
brother was born, against her will. And on the wall tapestries the history of Pompey was embroidered after the life.
Another chamber showed the history of Tobias worked and
embossed in gold relief on the tapestry.
Thence to the queen's quarters, which stood
apart, and the floor was strewn with rushes, into a long gallery (gallerien) very poorly tapestried; there I beheld a very handsome inlaid table. Likewise a picture of the burial of
Tobias.
In the next room the gold embroidered
tapestry on the walls told the history of the
murder of Julius Caesar, the first
emperor. By the door stood three of the emperor's electors (electores) in customary
dress painted in life-like fashion.
The history of Lot on a golden tapestry was in
another room. As also Abraham's history, both of these thought to
be the finest and most artistic in England, indeed the representations are immense in size.
In another apartment we were shown a
very costly bed203 which the queen's mother and her ladies worked
themselves.
Thence through another chamber hung with ancient tapestries,
into a small apartment ornamented with
silk hangings worked in Turkish knot, said to be
a gift to the queen from the Earl of
Leicester (Lest).
This room led to the paradise
chamber, where the ceiling is adorned with very beautiful paintings and an extremely costly canopy or royal throne, from which amongst other precious
stones, pearls, large diamonds, rubies, sapphires and the rest shine forth, like
the sun amongst the stars. Beneath this the queen is accustomed to sit in her magnificence, upon a very stately chair covered with cushions.
The royal
arms are on the wall on a very fine tapestry with an extremely large square
diamond worth many thousands of crowns.
The tapestry
covering the table, red and inset with precious stones and pearls, is valued
at over 50,000 crowns. Nor do I ever remember seeing larger or finer pearls
before.
On this same table there stood a very
fine chess-board, with ivory
chessmen, very artfully fashioned.
On the table lay also a handsome game of backgammon, in which the draughtsmen were finely shaped and perfumed and ornamented with
crests,
and the dice were of pure silver with other smaller ones inside
them.
We were next shown a number of
white ivory pipes with which all kinds of animal
sounds may be imitated.
On the tapestries around the crested canopy was a garter with the
accompanying French motto as above.
In another room I saw the portrait of Ferdinand, the Spanish prince at the age of eight.
Again in another204 room a
small virginal all made of glass, beautifully
perfumed (parfumiert) with the following inscription on the lid in gilt
letters: Cantabis moneo quisquis cantare rogans, Vivat in aethernos
Elisabetha dies, which is in English 'Whomsoever one bids sing, let
him not refuse', and 'May Elizabeth
live in eternity'.
We saw in addition many more costly virginals,
instruments,
positive
organs, and organs of which Her Royal Majesty is a great lover and
connoisseur. And amongst others we were shown an instrument or
virginal whose strings were of pure gold and silver, and they said the
queen often played this very charmingly. In another room we were shown a large chest
full of nothing but costly cushions on which the queen sits and reclines.
"We then had to show the
introdutory
introductory
letter given us by the Admiral
once again, and after they had read it, they led us into the queen's library where we were shown many old foreign books, I remember an old Latin manuscript Bible in particular,
and numerous other manuscripts.
We were also shown many handsome little striking clocks.
Henry
VIII's hunting-cap, and his silver gilt posthorn, with several silk leashes for the
hounds. Likewise many more bugles,
horns and pipes.
One chest
contained a lovely
glass salver,
dishes,
plates,
candlesticks and the like. Further they showed us the circular horn of a unicorn, seven of my spans in length, had been filed
down to heal the sick, resembled ivory, although the black veins where it
had been turned were still visible. It was hollow inside so that a nerve205 could run through it. Having taken a stand-up morning
drink with the aforementioned overseer and made a gift to his ladies, we left
Hampton Court and arrived at the
village of Windsor for lunch, some 6 or 8
English miles from Hampton Court, I
believe.
Windsor
Windsor is an English town, not walled however, as is their custom; is called
Winsort or (Windesor), is situated on the river Thames, where it turns from
meridian to midnight. We lunched there and sent in our letter of introduction to
the overseer of the castle, inviting him to partake with us, or if he had
already done so as it was now rather late, asking him to remain at home on our
behalf, or at least to make arrangements for us to look over the royal castle
after our meal, as we had come expressly for that purpose; which he straightway
promised us and afterwards fulfilled.
So that after lunch my party and I left the village for the royal castle of
Windsor, delightfully situated on a small mound or hillock, and built entirely
of square stone, eight miles out of London and four hundred and ten paces from
the Thames. In the first or outermost court, partly covered with lawn there is a
very beautiful mighty church, with a smooth flat leaded roof (like all the
churches in this country), which King Edward erected to the Virgin Mary, and
King Edward IV magnificently renovated and enlarged in memory of206
St. George of Cappadocia. On either side of this church hung the shields, helms
and arms of the knights of the Royal Order, called the garter (de la
jarretiere), an order of very high merit in England, which I will now
describe.
Of the Order of the Knights of
the Garter.
In the year 1350, when King Edward III had reigned for twenty four years in
England, and brought peace and order to his royal dominion, he founded the
present order, which later achieved such distinction and renown, that powerful
sovereigns coveted membership.
The knights of this Order are twenty-six in number. When one dies another is
elected in his stead.
The head or chief is always the king himself. The second is the king's eldest
son, called the prince of Wales, if there is one, and after him foreign or
native sovereigns, potentates, princes and lords, as at present for example the
king of France, the king of Denmark and the duke of Wirtemberg.
In the choir of said church I saw, nailed to the stalls on brass plates, the
names of all those who had ever been knights, a few of which I noted down, as
Henry II, king of France, knighted 1551, June 21st; Charles IX, king of France;
1564; Philip, king of Spain 1560; John, king of Portugal, and Frederick, king of
Denmark, 1578; James, king of Scotland, 1535; Maximilian, Roman Emperor, the
Emperor Charles, etc. Kaiser Rudolf II, and many more besides, as Elector
Palatine Prince Hans Casimir by whose name was written 'Constanter et syncere'
and underneath 'Du treshault, trespuissant et tresnoble prince Jean Casimir,
conte palatin du Rhein,207 duc de Baviere et chevalier du tresnoble
ordre de la Jarretiere 1578', which is in English 'Constant and true. The
allhighest, mightiest and noblest prince Hans Casimir, Prince Palatine of the
Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, and Knight of the highest order of the Garter, 1578.'
Item of Ferdinand the Spanish king's son and others.
The Knights of the Garter wear a violet-brown [purple] velvet mantle lined with
white satin when they walk in processions or are made Knights, and a curious hat
on their heads, all of which were shown, with the garter and the book containing
their rules besides.
Beneath the left knee they bind a garter worked in gold, with pearls and jewels,
whence the Order took its name. The motto embroidered on the garter, in pearls
against black velvet, runs 'Honi soit qui mal y pense - Shame to him who thinks
ill on it'.
And although the origin of this Order is actually not known since English
historians make scant reference to it, this is the story current:
Once upon a time King Edward III found his consort's, or as others have it, one
of his court ladies' garters which she had dropped while dancing, or in some
other way; he picked it up, kissed and returned it to her, and when the
gentlemen looking on saw this and laughed, he is supposed to have said: 'Good
sires, it will shortly come to pass that you will hold this garter in great
esteem', and shortly after he founded this Order.
Others say it was first founded in honour of St. George as patron of all soldiers
and warriors.
208
For which reason these knights annually hold solemn celebration on his day in the
church at Windsor, where the arms are displayed, and disport themselves with a
magnificent banquet. They have certain laws and rules amongst themselves, above
all that they should help and support each other in distress, not desert one
another in case of loss of rank or titles, or flee from the battlefield. Some of
their numbers are termed heralds, whose chief is called king-at-arms, and they
proclaim peace or war or fiefs according to occasion in the king's name, and
present the dukes and earls created by the king with their arms and decorations
(ornamenta) and also assist at their interments.
In the church we were shown the coats and apparel of the above knights.
Then we were led into a large room, bare of hangings, where said knights receive
the accolade.
There is besides another Order of Common Knights in England (equitum auratorum)
also dubbed with the sword.
In the middle of the choir of the said church, I saw the spot where king Henry
VIII has been laid. There is only a rectangular bier on the tomb covered with
a miserable tapestry, as they have no tomb splendid enough to bury
him.
And in front of the castle we were shown an immense black stone (Lapidem Lydium) which is intended for Henry
VIII's tombstone.
In a chapel at the back of the church I saw a very handsome tomb, which twenty
two years ago a cardinals had begun to erect in honour of king Henry VIII. 209The pillars made of brass are all very graceful, and eight angels
likewise of brass overlaid with gilt. In the centre is a stone of black marble,
it is one of the very finest tombs that I have seen; if only it were finished
and complete! It is rumoured that the queen may use the said figures for her
tomb.
I saw also in this church a stately tomb of black and white marble with the
following inscription: 'Nobilissimo Domino Edoardo Finio,
Lincolniae comiti, Clintoniae et Saiae Baroni, inclyti ordinis periscelidis
et summo Angliae admirallo cum post etc. Obiit 16 Januar 1584',
which is, 'To the most noble Lord Edward, Earl of Lincoln, Baron of Clinton and
Saye, Knight of the Garter, and England's greatest Admiral, when he died January
16th, 1584'.
The organ in the
church is very melodious and pleasant, and I played it a little before
vespers.
Then we heard some glorious music in the church at English vespers, choir with
organ, cornet and fife accompaniment, for as stated above, in outward ceremonies
they much resemble the papists. In the forecourt mentioned earlier, seventeen or
thirteen veteran or poor knights, who have borne themselves with courage in wars
and battles on sea or land, have their lodgings, and so receive a living as
remuneration (remuneration), and besides their quarters each has annually one
hundred crowns or eighteen pounds sterling to spend, which the queen gives them
with a suit of clothes. For this, however, they are obliged to attend church
twice daily at Windsor like the canons, clad in doublet and210 cloak.
The latter are only common golden (aurati) knights.
The inner or second court is square, in length and breadth about a bow shot, in
the midst of which I saw a tall fountain artistically wrought of lead, some
fathoms high, on which were carved griffons powerfully spewing water from their
mouths. And yet another fountain is being equipped of white marble, which I am
told has already cost some 70 p. sterling and the water is to be conducted
through channels for four miles.
We then ascended to the royal castle, which in proportion as it is situated
higher than other edifices equally excels them in architectural charm. It is 148
paces long and 907 [97?] broad. To the east are delightful houses for the king's
nobles, to the south is a fine playing ground where they play ball with racquets
(tennis) and otherwise amuse themselves. To the north is the royal palace with
excellent apartments, halls, rooms having a special chapel for adornment. Here
there is a large hall 78 feet by 30 broad, where the Knights of the Garter
banquet annually on St. George's day, and the whole edifice is of square stone
(despite the fact that it can only be had in this part of England but very
rarely and at211 tremendous cost) from the very foundations to the
roof, occupies a large area and is a fair stronghold. Though generally speaking
apart from the ports there are no fortified places to be found, for they were
all, or in the main, swept away long ago, so that the inhabitants should not
rise up against their king, since it is possible in other ways to see that
foreign enemies do not enter the country. On first entering the castle we saw a
very large kitchen with six great chimneys, then we came to the council chamber (aulam consilii)
which was hung with old tapestry. Thence
we entered an apartment tapestried with the history of the siege and
capture of Jerusalem by the Romans.
Then by way of the guard room we entered the room where the queen's wardrobe is
kept (hardes) thence to the presence chamber where the queen appears in person
(presentiert). We then passed through another apartment into a chapel which
Elisabeth had built in 1571, the ceiling is painted all over with roses, and
there is a place there from which the queen listens to the sermon when she is at
Windsor.
From there a long corridor led
straight to a round tower hung with fine tapestries.
We then saw the queen's bedchamber
with very lovely hangings.
In a corner was a tiny closet
containing a rectangular table-top of red coral
mingled with watered marble and set in wood. At the four borders of the
table were the following four inscriptions: 1. Virtutis
laus actio est. 2. Regina rerum
sapientia. 3. Omnis sapientia à Deo. 4.
Industriae fomes praemium. That is: 1. The praise212
of virtue lies in action. 2. Wisdom is the queen of all things. 3. All
wisdom comes from God. 4. Reward is the tinder of industry. We then entered
another room also built by queen Elisabeth. The ceiling was very prettily
stuccoed and painted with her name and her usual mottoes. Here stood
the foot of the aforesaid coral top.
We then descended from the castle which (as above mentioned) is situated on a
high hill, to the castle grounds, and came to a long terrace (allée) from which
we overlooked a good part of the royal parks which are enclosed. And they told
us that round about Windsor there were over sixty parks adjoining, full of deer
and other game of every species, which is driven from one enclosure to the
other, so that if they desire they can have magnificent and royal sport.
The water with which the garden is sprayed is conducted through secret channels
in the ground to a stream in the garden. On the aforesaid long terrace are two
little lodges with stone porches, 1578, Elisabeth Queen, Defender of the Faith,
Ann. 42, was chiselled in English on the stone of one, in the other was a seat
on which to repose with the following Latin inscription: 1574, Elisabeth Queen
Defender of the Faith. The castle has three fine large suites, (appartamenti)
one belonging to the members of the aforesaid Order of the Garter, the other
built by John, king of France, and the third by David, king of Scotland, when
they both lay captive there under king Edward Ill, and the latter also made213 many improvements there. In the middle of the castle is a very
high tower with lead roof, on the top of which I wrote my name and could see the
city of London very well. We then
came to a large apartment full of royal beds,
hung or tapestried with crimson velvet on which were embroidered in gold the
garter and its motto.
There I beheld a bed of extraordinarily large proportions, very ornate, sixteen of
my spans broad, and fourteen long, said to be King Henry VII's bed, and I
never saw a bigger in my life.
I likewise saw there King Henry VIII's bed adorned with crimson velvet
embroidered with the garter. There was
also a very old and regal mirror in this room.
On the table
near the window lay a
great number of very costly tapestries worked in
gold, belonging to a canopy under which the queen generally sits, the
backpiece and the top were very richly embroidered.
The castle overseer also showed us in
the same room a very magnificent cushion embroidered
in silk, gold and silver, which the queen worked herself during her
captivity at Woodstock.
Besides the tapestries one is shown a
very ancient arras stretched against the wall, worked
in silk and gold, which the English took from the French.
The story worked on it tells how the three lilies fell from heaven out of an
angel's hand into the hut of the hermit of Remigi who was holding a chaplet, and
he214 gave them to King Clovis' consort and instructed her in the
Christian faith so that she became a Christian, and he advised her to hand the
three French lilies to her lord the King and persuade him likewise to become a
Christian, so that he should be the first Christian sovereign, and to bear these
three lilies as arms, instead of the three toads he had previously borne, as it
came to pass, and the French still bear the lilies for their emblem to-day.
Beneath the hermit handing over the lilies to the lady, which is very beautifully
worked, were some French verses raised up in black silk, which interpreted mean
roughly the following: 'For the greater furtherance of the Christian faith, God
had the angel throw the lilies into the hermit's hut', and they are on an azure
field and signify faith, strength and equity, and herewith he commanded that he
should give them to King Clovis' consort when she came to him in his hut, just
as it happened, and the King took them gladly, and became a Christian, and was
anointed afterwards at Rheims by the hermit of Remigi with the holy oil from the
ampulla there, as mentioned above, and installed, just as they still anoint them
there to-day.
And ever since the French have borne three lilies in place of the three toads
which they had formerly upon their shields. And over the writing stood the angel
and the king, the angel throwing three lilies down from heaven, and the hermit
reverently picking them up - and opposite was the King's consort. Since this
arras is so old and beautiful and depicts the French genealogy, France has often
attempted to buy it back again for an immense sum of money, but it is not to be
purchased from England at any price. Near the above room215 (chambre de la Garde Robe) in a smaller chamber we were
shown a chest containing numerous very richly fashioned,
worked and embroidered royal cushions, and
in a lower drawer of the same chest was a longish case and in it a whole bird of
paradise, which they took out for us; its back was pale yellow, and both
sides were chestnut brown, all round the beak however, which was very
hooked, was green. The whole bird with its tail feathers measured three of
my spans in length, had very fine feathers soft as silk, and two little
black thongs four spans long, which it uses like claws to hook itself to
trees.
In a lower drawer of said chest lay also a natural unicorn's horn weighing
twenty pounds, and one span taller than I. I could almost compass its
circumference with one thumb and forefinger. In the region which seems to
have been embedded two spans into the head, it was hollow and contained a
nerve. The exterior was very straight and pointed and wonderfully turned.
They told us that Henry VIII had
received this unicorn from Arabia and
had valued it highly. We then saw over the dwellings of the nobility
and the royal retinue, in the court where stands the fountain. Having thoroughly
inspected the above castle and given gratuities to the overseer's staff, we went
down the hill to the university called Eton
College, or Aetona, founded by King
Henry VI.
We did not see anything particular in this college except a number of clumsy
scholars in long black gowns whose maintenance is amply provided by the queen.
And we were told that many of the nobility dwelt in this college. I could not
discover a single student able to talk to me in Latin, they all pointed to their
mouths with their fingers and shook their heads. So that we did216 not
linger there for long, but merely looked over some class-rooms (classes) and a
splendid church nearby. Then we returned to our lodging in Windsor where we
spent that night.
Spanish wine follows. This they regard
as a curious medicine for defluctions, and as a pleasure, and the habit is so
common with them, that they always carry the instruments on them, and light up
on all 171occasions, at the play, in the taverns or elsewhere,
drinking as well as smoking together, as we sit over wine, and it makes them
riotous and merry, and rather drowsy, just as if they were drunk, though the
effect soon passes - and they use it so abundantly because of the pleasure it
gives, that their preachers cry out on them for their self-destruction, and I am
told the inside of one man’s veins after death was found to be covered in soot
just like a chimney. The herb is imported from the
Indies in great quantities, and some types are much stronger than
others, which difference one can immediately taste; they perform queer antics
when they take it. And they first learned of this medicine from the Indians, as
Mr. Cope a citizen of London who has spent much time in the Indies, informed me; I visited his
collection with Herr
Lobelus
Lobelius
, a London physician, and
saw the following objects.
This same Mr. Cope inhabits a fine house in
the SnecgasUnidentified. Snow or Snor Hill?; he led us into an
apartment, stuffed with queer foreign objects in every corner, and amongst other
things I saw there, the following seemed of interest.
1. An African
charm made of teeth.
2. Many weapons,
arrows and other things made of fishbone.
3. Beautiful Indian
plumes,
ornaments
and clothes from China.
4. A handsome cap made out of goosefoots from China.
5. A curious Javanese
costume.
6. A felt cloak from Arabia.
7. Shoes from many strange lands.
8. An Indian stone axe, like a
thunder-bolt.
172
9. Beautiful coats from Arabia.
10. A string instrument with but one string.
11. Another string instrument from Arabia.
12. The horn and tail of a rhinoceros, is a large animal
like an elephant.
13. A fan made out of a single leaf.
14. Curious wooden
and stone swords.
15. The twisted horn of a bull seal.
16. A round horn which had grown on an English woman’s forehead.
17. An embalmed child (Mumia).
18. Leathern weapons.
19. The bauble and bells of Henry VIII’s fool.
20. A unicorn’s tail.
21. Inscribed paper made of bark.
22. Indian stone shears.
23. A thunder-bolt dug out of a mast which was hit at sea during a
storm; resembles the Judas
stone.
24. A stone against spleen disorders.
25. Artful little Chinese
box.
26. Earthen pitchers from China.
27. Flying rhinoceros.
28. (Caterpillar) Hairy
worm, sidopendra.
29. Flies which glow at night in Virginia instead of lights, since
there is often no day there for over a month.
30. A small bone implement used in India for scratching oneself.
31. The Queen of England’s seal.
32. Turkish Emperor’s golden seal.
33. Porcelain from China.
34. Falcon’s head made of fine feathers.
35. Many holy relics from a Spanish ship which he helped to capture.
173
36. A Madonna made of Indian
feathers.
37. A Turkish
pitcher and dishes.
38. An Indian
chain made of monkey teeth.
39. A sea-halcyon’s nest, sign of a calm sea.
40. A pelican’s beak, the Egyptian bird that kills its young, and afterward tears open
its breast and bathes them in its own blood, until they have come to
life.
41. A mirror which both reflects and multiplies
objects.
42. Crowns made of claws (ungulis).
43. Heathen idols.
44. Saddles from many strange lands; they were
placed round the top on stands.
45. Two beautifully
dyed Indian
sheepskins with silken sheen.
46. Remora.
A little fish which holds up or hinders boats from sailing when it
touches them,
likewise another species
called ‘torpedo’ which petrifies and numbs
the crews’ hands if it so much as touches the
oars.
47. A sea mouse (mus
marinus).
48. Numerous bone
instruments.
49. Reed pipes like those played by Pan.
50. A long narrow Indian
canoe,
with the oars
and sliding planks, hung from the ceiling of
this room.
He possessed besides many old heathen coins,
fine pictures, all kinds of corals and sea-plants in abundance. There are also other people in
London interested in curios, but this
gentleman is superior to them all for strange objects, because of the Indian voyage he carried out with such zeal.
In one house on the Thames bridge I also
beheld a large live
camel.
174
This city of London is not only brimful of
curiosities, but so populous also that one simply cannot walk along the streets
for the crowd.
199
Hampton
Court
Hampton Court is the finest and most
magnificent royal edifice to be found in England, or for that matter in other countries, and comprises
without the park (which has a wall round of one and a half miles in length, is
full of game and has a lodge in its midst from which the queen can watch the
chase) ten different large courts, and the same number of separate royal or
princely dwellings, all adjoining one another however. And the entire
construction is built of brick.
The first large forecourt is covered with lawn. In the second court is a beautiful clock, cleverly devised from which one can tell the time by the
sun, and also observe the movements of the moon.
The third court contains a fine large fountain of great height, artistically wrought of white marble,
with an excellent water work with which one may easily spray any ladies or
others standing round, and wet them well. And since the queen recently progressed from Hampton Court to Nonsuch with some three hundred carts of bag and baggage
as is her custom, the tapestries and all the other ornaments still hung in the apartments, for the latter, as
will be noted shortly, contain such elegant tapestry of good gold, silver and pure
silk that the like is nowhere to be found in such quantity in one
place.
First we were shown through the aforesaid courts into a large and very long
gallery hung all round with old woven tapestries. This led us to the
dining or banqueting hall, from where we entered the church or chapel containing
a most excellent fine organ on which I played a while, then we
inspected the gallery or loft, from which the queen listens to the sermon.
200
There all over the ceiling were painted these three signs: a portcullis just as
is stamped on the half-pennies, a lily (fleur de lis), and a rose, always
encircled with these two mottoes: Dieu et mon droit, 'God and my right'; and
Dominus mihi adiutor: Being, 'The Lord is my help and succour'.
On descent and exit from the church the gardener presented himself, and after we
had offered a gratuity to our first guide, the gardener conducted us into the
royal pleasaunce.
By the entrance I noticed numerous patches where square cavities had been
scooped, as for paving stones; some of these were filled with red brick-dust,
some with white sand, and some with green lawn, very much resembling a
chess-board. The hedges and surrounds were of hawthorn, bush firs, ivy, roses,
juniper, holly, English or common elm, box and other shrubs, very gay and
attractive.
There were all manner of shapes, men and women, half men and half horse, sirens,
serving-maids with baskets, French lilies and delicate crenellations all round
made from the dry twigs bound together and the aforesaid evergreen quick-set
shrubs, or entirely of rosemary, all true to the life, and so cleverly and
amusingly interwoven, mingled and grown together, trimmed and arranged
picture-wise that their equal would be difficult to find.
And just as there is a park on the one hand, so opposite this in the middle of
the other side there is a maze, similarly decorated with plants and flowering
trees, and two marble fountains, so that time shall not drag in such a place;
for should one miss one's way, not only are taste, vision and smell delighted,
but the gladsome201 birdsongs and plashing fountains please the ear,
indeed it is like an earthly paradise.
After leaving this extensive and pleasant garden, and presenting our gratuity to
the gardener, the governor of the royal palace, one of the nobility, to whom we
had previously sent in our letter of introduction, received us, and after he had
returned our letter he presented us to his wife and daughters, who were to take
us over all the inner royal apartments and cabinets, and show us all the
treasures then in the place, and whatever the woman and daughters pointed out
was all told us in French by an interpreter who was with us. The first room they
showed us into contained the lively
and lifelike portrait of the wild man and woman
captured by Martin Frobisher, the
English captain, on his voyage to the
new world, and brought back to
England alive. The man’s face was
much waled, and both looked like savages, wore skins, and the woman carried
a child in Indian dress in a linen cloth
upon her shoulder. Above the woman were the words: "Ginoct Nutioc."
Then we saw a picture of love, in the guise of a woman. Across her brow was
written: 'Procul et prope', that is 'far and near', and over her heart I
read: 'Mors et vita', that is 'Death and life'; by her feet, 'Hyems et
aestas', that is 'Winter and Summer', and underneath, 'Veri amoris
repraesentatio', that is 'The image of true love'.
Close to it they showed us the whole
evangelical scripture, very artfully cut or carved on numerous square plaques of mother of pearl, a very exquisite work,
and the plaques are for the most part attached to a large table.
202
We then entered a room containing
many fine royal beds, also numerous canopies and royal chairs all very lavish and ornate;
and the walls everywhere were
hung with extremely costly tapestries worked in
gold, silver and silk, so life-like that one might take the people and
plants for real.
We soon came to the king's quarters and saw the royal bed, of red satin set and embroidered with gold, which he had with
him at the siege of Boulogne, is
likewise very luxurious.
In another room we were shown a bed where the queen's
brother was born, against her will. And on the wall tapestries the history of Pompey was embroidered after the life.
Another chamber showed the history of Tobias worked and
embossed in gold relief on the tapestry.
Thence to the queen's quarters, which stood
apart, and the floor was strewn with rushes, into a long gallery (gallerien) very poorly tapestried; there I beheld a very handsome inlaid table. Likewise a picture of the burial of
Tobias.
In the next room the gold embroidered
tapestry on the walls told the history of the
murder of Julius Caesar, the first
emperor. By the door stood three of the emperor's electors (electores) in customary
dress painted in life-like fashion.
The history of Lot on a golden tapestry was in
another room. As also Abraham's history, both of these thought to
be the finest and most artistic in England, indeed the representations are immense in size.
In another apartment we were shown a
very costly bed203 which the queen's mother and her ladies worked
themselves.
Thence through another chamber hung with ancient tapestries,
into a small apartment ornamented with
silk hangings worked in Turkish knot, said to be
a gift to the queen from the Earl of
Leicester (Lest).
This room led to the paradise
chamber, where the ceiling is adorned with very beautiful paintings and an extremely costly canopy or royal throne, from which amongst other precious
stones, pearls, large diamonds, rubies, sapphires and the rest shine forth, like
the sun amongst the stars. Beneath this the queen is accustomed to sit in her magnificence, upon a very stately chair covered with cushions.
The royal
arms are on the wall on a very fine tapestry with an extremely large square
diamond worth many thousands of crowns.
The tapestry
covering the table, red and inset with precious stones and pearls, is valued
at over 50,000 crowns. Nor do I ever remember seeing larger or finer pearls
before.
On this same table there stood a very
fine chess-board, with ivory
chessmen, very artfully fashioned.
On the table lay also a handsome game of backgammon, in which the draughtsmen were finely shaped and perfumed and ornamented with
crests,
and the dice were of pure silver with other smaller ones inside
them.
We were next shown a number of
white ivory pipes with which all kinds of animal
sounds may be imitated.
On the tapestries around the crested canopy was a garter with the
accompanying French motto as above.
In another room I saw the portrait of Ferdinand, the Spanish prince at the age of eight.
Again in another204 room a
small virginal all made of glass, beautifully
perfumed (parfumiert) with the following inscription on the lid in gilt
letters: Cantabis moneo quisquis cantare rogans, Vivat in aethernos
Elisabetha dies, which is in English 'Whomsoever one bids sing, let
him not refuse', and 'May Elizabeth
live in eternity'.
We saw in addition many more costly virginals,
instruments,
positive
organs, and organs of which Her Royal Majesty is a great lover and
connoisseur. And amongst others we were shown an instrument or
virginal whose strings were of pure gold and silver, and they said the
queen often played this very charmingly. In another room we were shown a large chest
full of nothing but costly cushions on which the queen sits and reclines.
"We then had to show the
introdutory
introductory
letter given us by the Admiral
once again, and after they had read it, they led us into the queen's library where we were shown many old foreign books, I remember an old Latin manuscript Bible in particular,
and numerous other manuscripts.
We were also shown many handsome little striking clocks.
Henry
VIII's hunting-cap, and his silver gilt posthorn, with several silk leashes for the
hounds. Likewise many more bugles,
horns and pipes.
One chest
contained a lovely
glass salver,
dishes,
plates,
candlesticks and the like. Further they showed us the circular horn of a unicorn, seven of my spans in length, had been filed
down to heal the sick, resembled ivory, although the black veins where it
had been turned were still visible. It was hollow inside so that a nerve205 could run through it. Having taken a stand-up morning
drink with the aforementioned overseer and made a gift to his ladies, we left
Hampton Court and arrived at the
village of Windsor for lunch, some 6 or 8
English miles from Hampton Court, I
believe.
Windsor
Windsor is an English town, not walled however, as is their custom; is called
Winsort or (Windesor), is situated on the river Thames, where it turns from
meridian to midnight. We lunched there and sent in our letter of introduction to
the overseer of the castle, inviting him to partake with us, or if he had
already done so as it was now rather late, asking him to remain at home on our
behalf, or at least to make arrangements for us to look over the royal castle
after our meal, as we had come expressly for that purpose; which he straightway
promised us and afterwards fulfilled.
So that after lunch my party and I left the village for the royal castle of
Windsor, delightfully situated on a small mound or hillock, and built entirely
of square stone, eight miles out of London and four hundred and ten paces from
the Thames. In the first or outermost court, partly covered with lawn there is a
very beautiful mighty church, with a smooth flat leaded roof (like all the
churches in this country), which King Edward erected to the Virgin Mary, and
King Edward IV magnificently renovated and enlarged in memory of206
St. George of Cappadocia. On either side of this church hung the shields, helms
and arms of the knights of the Royal Order, called the garter (de la
jarretiere), an order of very high merit in England, which I will now
describe.
Of the Order of the Knights of
the Garter.
In the year 1350, when King Edward III had reigned for twenty four years in
England, and brought peace and order to his royal dominion, he founded the
present order, which later achieved such distinction and renown, that powerful
sovereigns coveted membership.
The knights of this Order are twenty-six in number. When one dies another is
elected in his stead.
The head or chief is always the king himself. The second is the king's eldest
son, called the prince of Wales, if there is one, and after him foreign or
native sovereigns, potentates, princes and lords, as at present for example the
king of France, the king of Denmark and the duke of Wirtemberg.
In the choir of said church I saw, nailed to the stalls on brass plates, the
names of all those who had ever been knights, a few of which I noted down, as
Henry II, king of France, knighted 1551, June 21st; Charles IX, king of France;
1564; Philip, king of Spain 1560; John, king of Portugal, and Frederick, king of
Denmark, 1578; James, king of Scotland, 1535; Maximilian, Roman Emperor, the
Emperor Charles, etc. Kaiser Rudolf II, and many more besides, as Elector
Palatine Prince Hans Casimir by whose name was written 'Constanter et syncere'
and underneath 'Du treshault, trespuissant et tresnoble prince Jean Casimir,
conte palatin du Rhein,207 duc de Baviere et chevalier du tresnoble
ordre de la Jarretiere 1578', which is in English 'Constant and true. The
allhighest, mightiest and noblest prince Hans Casimir, Prince Palatine of the
Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, and Knight of the highest order of the Garter, 1578.'
Item of Ferdinand the Spanish king's son and others.
The Knights of the Garter wear a violet-brown [purple] velvet mantle lined with
white satin when they walk in processions or are made Knights, and a curious hat
on their heads, all of which were shown, with the garter and the book containing
their rules besides.
Beneath the left knee they bind a garter worked in gold, with pearls and jewels,
whence the Order took its name. The motto embroidered on the garter, in pearls
against black velvet, runs 'Honi soit qui mal y pense - Shame to him who thinks
ill on it'.
And although the origin of this Order is actually not known since English
historians make scant reference to it, this is the story current:
Once upon a time King Edward III found his consort's, or as others have it, one
of his court ladies' garters which she had dropped while dancing, or in some
other way; he picked it up, kissed and returned it to her, and when the
gentlemen looking on saw this and laughed, he is supposed to have said: 'Good
sires, it will shortly come to pass that you will hold this garter in great
esteem', and shortly after he founded this Order.
Others say it was first founded in honour of St. George as patron of all soldiers
and warriors.
208
For which reason these knights annually hold solemn celebration on his day in the
church at Windsor, where the arms are displayed, and disport themselves with a
magnificent banquet. They have certain laws and rules amongst themselves, above
all that they should help and support each other in distress, not desert one
another in case of loss of rank or titles, or flee from the battlefield. Some of
their numbers are termed heralds, whose chief is called king-at-arms, and they
proclaim peace or war or fiefs according to occasion in the king's name, and
present the dukes and earls created by the king with their arms and decorations
(ornamenta) and also assist at their interments.
In the church we were shown the coats and apparel of the above knights.
Then we were led into a large room, bare of hangings, where said knights receive
the accolade.
There is besides another Order of Common Knights in England (equitum auratorum)
also dubbed with the sword.
In the middle of the choir of the said church, I saw the spot where king Henry
VIII has been laid. There is only a rectangular bier on the tomb covered with
a miserable tapestry, as they have no tomb splendid enough to bury
him.
And in front of the castle we were shown an immense black stone (Lapidem Lydium) which is intended for Henry
VIII's tombstone.
In a chapel at the back of the church I saw a very handsome tomb, which twenty
two years ago a cardinals had begun to erect in honour of king Henry VIII. 209The pillars made of brass are all very graceful, and eight angels
likewise of brass overlaid with gilt. In the centre is a stone of black marble,
it is one of the very finest tombs that I have seen; if only it were finished
and complete! It is rumoured that the queen may use the said figures for her
tomb.
I saw also in this church a stately tomb of black and white marble with the
following inscription: 'Nobilissimo Domino Edoardo Finio,
Lincolniae comiti, Clintoniae et Saiae Baroni, inclyti ordinis periscelidis
et summo Angliae admirallo cum post etc. Obiit 16 Januar 1584',
which is, 'To the most noble Lord Edward, Earl of Lincoln, Baron of Clinton and
Saye, Knight of the Garter, and England's greatest Admiral, when he died January
16th, 1584'.
The organ in the
church is very melodious and pleasant, and I played it a little before
vespers.
Then we heard some glorious music in the church at English vespers, choir with
organ, cornet and fife accompaniment, for as stated above, in outward ceremonies
they much resemble the papists. In the forecourt mentioned earlier, seventeen or
thirteen veteran or poor knights, who have borne themselves with courage in wars
and battles on sea or land, have their lodgings, and so receive a living as
remuneration (remuneration), and besides their quarters each has annually one
hundred crowns or eighteen pounds sterling to spend, which the queen gives them
with a suit of clothes. For this, however, they are obliged to attend church
twice daily at Windsor like the canons, clad in doublet and210 cloak.
The latter are only common golden (aurati) knights.
The inner or second court is square, in length and breadth about a bow shot, in
the midst of which I saw a tall fountain artistically wrought of lead, some
fathoms high, on which were carved griffons powerfully spewing water from their
mouths. And yet another fountain is being equipped of white marble, which I am
told has already cost some 70 p. sterling and the water is to be conducted
through channels for four miles.
We then ascended to the royal castle, which in proportion as it is situated
higher than other edifices equally excels them in architectural charm. It is 148
paces long and 907 [97?] broad. To the east are delightful houses for the king's
nobles, to the south is a fine playing ground where they play ball with racquets
(tennis) and otherwise amuse themselves. To the north is the royal palace with
excellent apartments, halls, rooms having a special chapel for adornment. Here
there is a large hall 78 feet by 30 broad, where the Knights of the Garter
banquet annually on St. George's day, and the whole edifice is of square stone
(despite the fact that it can only be had in this part of England but very
rarely and at211 tremendous cost) from the very foundations to the
roof, occupies a large area and is a fair stronghold. Though generally speaking
apart from the ports there are no fortified places to be found, for they were
all, or in the main, swept away long ago, so that the inhabitants should not
rise up against their king, since it is possible in other ways to see that
foreign enemies do not enter the country. On first entering the castle we saw a
very large kitchen with six great chimneys, then we came to the council chamber (aulam consilii)
which was hung with old tapestry. Thence
we entered an apartment tapestried with the history of the siege and
capture of Jerusalem by the Romans.
Then by way of the guard room we entered the room where the queen's wardrobe is
kept (hardes) thence to the presence chamber where the queen appears in person
(presentiert). We then passed through another apartment into a chapel which
Elisabeth had built in 1571, the ceiling is painted all over with roses, and
there is a place there from which the queen listens to the sermon when she is at
Windsor.
From there a long corridor led
straight to a round tower hung with fine tapestries.
We then saw the queen's bedchamber
with very lovely hangings.
In a corner was a tiny closet
containing a rectangular table-top of red coral
mingled with watered marble and set in wood. At the four borders of the
table were the following four inscriptions: 1. Virtutis
laus actio est. 2. Regina rerum
sapientia. 3. Omnis sapientia à Deo. 4.
Industriae fomes praemium. That is: 1. The praise212
of virtue lies in action. 2. Wisdom is the queen of all things. 3. All
wisdom comes from God. 4. Reward is the tinder of industry. We then entered
another room also built by queen Elisabeth. The ceiling was very prettily
stuccoed and painted with her name and her usual mottoes. Here stood
the foot of the aforesaid coral top.
We then descended from the castle which (as above mentioned) is situated on a
high hill, to the castle grounds, and came to a long terrace (allée) from which
we overlooked a good part of the royal parks which are enclosed. And they told
us that round about Windsor there were over sixty parks adjoining, full of deer
and other game of every species, which is driven from one enclosure to the
other, so that if they desire they can have magnificent and royal sport.
The water with which the garden is sprayed is conducted through secret channels
in the ground to a stream in the garden. On the aforesaid long terrace are two
little lodges with stone porches, 1578, Elisabeth Queen, Defender of the Faith,
Ann. 42, was chiselled in English on the stone of one, in the other was a seat
on which to repose with the following Latin inscription: 1574, Elisabeth Queen
Defender of the Faith. The castle has three fine large suites, (appartamenti)
one belonging to the members of the aforesaid Order of the Garter, the other
built by John, king of France, and the third by David, king of Scotland, when
they both lay captive there under king Edward Ill, and the latter also made213 many improvements there. In the middle of the castle is a very
high tower with lead roof, on the top of which I wrote my name and could see the
city of London very well. We then
came to a large apartment full of royal beds,
hung or tapestried with crimson velvet on which were embroidered in gold the
garter and its motto.
There I beheld a bed of extraordinarily large proportions, very ornate, sixteen of
my spans broad, and fourteen long, said to be King Henry VII's bed, and I
never saw a bigger in my life.
I likewise saw there King Henry VIII's bed adorned with crimson velvet
embroidered with the garter. There was
also a very old and regal mirror in this room.
On the table
near the window lay a
great number of very costly tapestries worked in
gold, belonging to a canopy under which the queen generally sits, the
backpiece and the top were very richly embroidered.
The castle overseer also showed us in
the same room a very magnificent cushion embroidered
in silk, gold and silver, which the queen worked herself during her
captivity at Woodstock.
Besides the tapestries one is shown a
very ancient arras stretched against the wall, worked
in silk and gold, which the English took from the French.
The story worked on it tells how the three lilies fell from heaven out of an
angel's hand into the hut of the hermit of Remigi who was holding a chaplet, and
he214 gave them to King Clovis' consort and instructed her in the
Christian faith so that she became a Christian, and he advised her to hand the
three French lilies to her lord the King and persuade him likewise to become a
Christian, so that he should be the first Christian sovereign, and to bear these
three lilies as arms, instead of the three toads he had previously borne, as it
came to pass, and the French still bear the lilies for their emblem to-day.
Beneath the hermit handing over the lilies to the lady, which is very beautifully
worked, were some French verses raised up in black silk, which interpreted mean
roughly the following: 'For the greater furtherance of the Christian faith, God
had the angel throw the lilies into the hermit's hut', and they are on an azure
field and signify faith, strength and equity, and herewith he commanded that he
should give them to King Clovis' consort when she came to him in his hut, just
as it happened, and the King took them gladly, and became a Christian, and was
anointed afterwards at Rheims by the hermit of Remigi with the holy oil from the
ampulla there, as mentioned above, and installed, just as they still anoint them
there to-day.
And ever since the French have borne three lilies in place of the three toads
which they had formerly upon their shields. And over the writing stood the angel
and the king, the angel throwing three lilies down from heaven, and the hermit
reverently picking them up - and opposite was the King's consort. Since this
arras is so old and beautiful and depicts the French genealogy, France has often
attempted to buy it back again for an immense sum of money, but it is not to be
purchased from England at any price. Near the above room215 (chambre de la Garde Robe) in a smaller chamber we were
shown a chest containing numerous very richly fashioned,
worked and embroidered royal cushions, and
in a lower drawer of the same chest was a longish case and in it a whole bird of
paradise, which they took out for us; its back was pale yellow, and both
sides were chestnut brown, all round the beak however, which was very
hooked, was green. The whole bird with its tail feathers measured three of
my spans in length, had very fine feathers soft as silk, and two little
black thongs four spans long, which it uses like claws to hook itself to
trees.
In a lower drawer of said chest lay also a natural unicorn's horn weighing
twenty pounds, and one span taller than I. I could almost compass its
circumference with one thumb and forefinger. In the region which seems to
have been embedded two spans into the head, it was hollow and contained a
nerve. The exterior was very straight and pointed and wonderfully turned.
They told us that Henry VIII had
received this unicorn from Arabia and
had valued it highly. We then saw over the dwellings of the nobility
and the royal retinue, in the court where stands the fountain. Having thoroughly
inspected the above castle and given gratuities to the overseer's staff, we went
down the hill to the university called Eton
College, or Aetona, founded by King
Henry VI.
We did not see anything particular in this college except a number of clumsy
scholars in long black gowns whose maintenance is amply provided by the queen.
And we were told that many of the nobility dwelt in this college. I could not
discover a single student able to talk to me in Latin, they all pointed to their
mouths with their fingers and shook their heads. So that we did216 not
linger there for long, but merely looked over some class-rooms (classes) and a
splendid church nearby. Then we returned to our lodging in Windsor where we
spent that night.